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L. B. SMITH.

RETMNING MEANS FUR SHOE LAcEs.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 27.1918 1,306,846., Patented June 17, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

L. B. SMITH.

RETAINING MEANS FOR SHOE LACES,

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 27| I9I8.

Patented June 17, 1919.

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INVENTOR LILY B. SMITH, 0F ATLANTA,'GEORGI-A..

RETAIIN G MEANS FOR SHOE-LACES.

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specification of Letters Patent. Patented J une 17, 1919.

Application led December 27, 1918. Serial No. 268,540.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, LILY B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain newl and useful Improvements in Retaining Means for Shoe- Laces, of which the following is a specification. l

It is well known -that persons, after lacing their shoes and in order to present a neat appearance, tuck the free ends of the laces in the tops of the shoes. These lacing ends lare usually provided with metallic tips which, when tucked in the tops of the shoes directly neXt to the stock1ngs,cut the threads of the stockings and. soon form holes andV runners This state of affairs is common with ladies who wear high laced shoes and expensive silk stockings.

One object of my invention is to provide means whereby the tipped lace ends canbe tucked and concealed within the shoes without in any way injuring or impairing the stockings.

Another object is to so construct my invention that the application thereof to a shoe will not render the shoe uncomfortable to the wearer.

A. still further object is to so design my invention that it can be cheaply and quickly ap lied to shoes.

'Ihese objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ladys high laced boot or shoe having my invention thereon,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken onlthe line 3 3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a view of similar nature to Fig. 2 showing the tipped end of a shoe lace occuying a different position and arrangement rom that of the tipped lace end illustrated in Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing a modified form of my invention, t

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5,

Flgf? is a view-of similar nature to Fig. 5 showing another modified form of my inveltion,

ig. 8 is a fra entar section taken on the line 8 8 of Fgim 7, y

Flg. 9 is an outside elevation of a portion of a shoeshowing another modification of my invention,

Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10 10 of Fig. 9,

Fig. 11 is a view of similar nature to Fig. 9 showing still another modifiedform of'my invention, and

Fig. 12 is a section taken on the line 12-12 or Fig. i1.

Referring to Figs. 1 tol, inclusive, l5 represents the up er of ashoe which has an inner facing ban 16 secured therein at the top` of the upper by rows of stitching l? and 18 (Flg. 3). The portion 19 of the band 16, between two substantially vertical rows 2O and 21 of stitches, is free of the upper, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This portion 19 is split or out through its entire thickness by 'parallel cuts 22 and 23, said cuts terminatlng between the rows of stitching 17 and 18.

By this arran ement and treatment of the above mentione parts, .a portion 21 of the band 16 is provided which can be bulged inwardly in the form of a loop and the tipped ends 25 of the vshoe laceA can be inserted through entrances formed by the cuttings 22 and 23, so that the end of the lace can be housed between 'the inner facing band 16 and the upper 15.

The spaces 26 and27 between the facing band 16' and the upper 15 provide pockets into which .the tips of the shoe laces can be insertedafter passing behind the loop 24,

' as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the same arran Ae` ment and construction of partsbut la di er-A ent arrangement of the shoe lace. For eX- ample, if the tipped end of the lace is ex ceptionally long, the entire lace can be first passed through the cutting 23, then back of the loop'24 and out of the cutting -22, and then folded upon itself and relnserted through the cutting 22 so as to be positioned directly back of the loop 24, as illustrated in Fig. 4. f

The band 16 is preferably made of soft but strong iexible material such, for examle, as leather and, as shown 1n Fig. 1, the Band can include two of the loops 24, one at each side of the laced parting 28 of the shoe. In the modification of my invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, I provide the inner surface 29 of the shoe upper 30 with a loop 31 which corresponds in function to the loop 24 above described. In this form of my inventlon, the loo 31 is an independent member whlch is stitc ed at its top and bottom by rows of stitches 32 and 33 and the tips of the shoe laces can be inserted within the space 34 provided between the loop 31 and the inner surface 29 of the upper; it being noted that the space 34 is open at the side edges of the loop 31 so that the tipped shoe lace can be inserted from either side.

The form of my invention shown 1n Figs. 7 and 8 is substantially similar to that described in Figs. 5 and 6 and consists of a loop 35 of flexible material which is stitched adjacent its bottom by a row of stitchmg 36 to the inner surface 37 of the shoe upper 3 8. This loop 35 can be opened at its top and 1s attached adjacent its top to the upper 38 by means of a snap-button 39. With this arrangement, the loop 35 can be o pened at lts top to permit the lace tip to be mserted. and then snapped in the position shown in F1g. 8. In the form of my invention shown 1n Figs. 9 and 10, I have shown a strip 40 of iexible material which straddles the upper edge portion 41 of the shoe upper 42 and the opposite ends of the strip are jointly provided with a snap-button 43, the parts of the snap-button being respectively secured to the end portions of said strip and are adapted to engage each other through the medium of a hole 44 provided in the upper 42. In` this constructlon, the part 45 of the tion 48 of the shoe upper 49. The strip 47 has one portion 50 secured to the inner surface 51 of the shoe upper 49 by stitching 52. The other end portion 53 of said strip portion is provided with one part of a snapbutton 54, the other part of .said snap-button being secured to the outer surface 55 of 'the shoe upper. With this arrangement, the

part 53 can be released and raised until the 65 free portion 56 of the part 50l will be moved to permit Ilthe shoe lace to be inserted within the space 57 after which the part 53 can be again attached by means of the snap-button 54.

In each of the forms of my invention a flexible loop or pocket of soft strong material is provided which will not injure the stocking. By the use of my invention, therefore, a shoe can be-kept neat in appearance and at the same time stockings will be saved, for the reason that the metallic tips at all times will be housed and protected against direct engagement with the stocking.

While have described my invention as takmg a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come wlthin the scope of the appended clalms.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A lace retaining device including means secured to the upper of the shoe, said means being cut to provide an entrance for the shoe lace tip between said means and the upper, whereby the entire tip can be housed; said means providing a pocket jointly with said l upper` and at one side of said cutting; substantlally as described.

2. lace retaining device includin facing means for the upper of a shoe andeing cut therethrough to provide a pocket for the end of the lace; and securing means for attachlng said first means to the upper and formlng a termination of said pocket;sub stantiallyas described. 3. A lace retainin device including an inner `facing band stitched adjacent its top and bottom edges to the inner surface of the upper, whereby the portion between said stitching is free of the upper, said band bemg cut transversely to said stitching to provide an entrance for the end of the shoe lace between said band and the upper; substantially as described.

4. A lace retaining device including an mner facmg band stitched adjacent its top and bottom edges to the inner surface of the upper, whereby the portion between said stltchmg 1s free of the upper, said band being out transversely to sald stitching to provide an entrance for the end of the shoe lace between said band and the upper; and rows of stitches substantially parallel to said cutting, whereby pockets are formed jointly by said band and upper and at the side of said cutting; substantially as described.

5. Alace retaining device including means In 'testimony whereof/ have signed my providing a flexible pocket having an enname to this specification in the presence of trance through which the end of said lace two subscribing Witnesses.

can be inserted so as to be housed by said Y LILY B. SMTI-I. 5 pocket, said pocket being closed at a. por- Witnesses:

tion opposite to said entrance; substantially C. N. ANDERSON,

as described. FRANK D. HOLLAND. 

